In-Box Review

introduction

After years of Tanh/Tank dominating the Russian figures' market, several newer companies are releasing figures of Soviet WW2 figures. Obviously Stalingrad Figures has dominated the spotlight with their superb line of realistic soldiers in imaginative poses and settings, but now Armor 35 is joining in with some very imaginative offerings, including this Soviet soldier with rifle and bayonet.

what you get

Inside a stiff, clear plastic box is a 4-color sleeve with a photo of the assembled and painted figure. Inside are 2 Ziploc baggies with:

The base figure
2 arms
rifle w. bayonet

the review

Since Armor 35 is a newish company without wide distribution, it's difficult to know what the price for these figures might be. Ordering directly from Armor 35, the kit is only $12, but the site's shipping page is only in Russian, so I don't know what that would add.

The reason I bring this up is twofold: fine products turn up all the time, but without distribution, they can be hard to find or get. And in this case, unlike with most other figure makers, the head is molded-on to the body. This prevents any kind of customization, and of course, doesn't allow as with many other figures the opportunity to have another style of headgear. I presume the sculptor and Armor 35 figured that since it's a winter uniform, only the fur hat would be appropriate.

Such minor issues aside, the casting is very nice and the details are crisp with no "hairy" flash to speak of. The folds of the overcoat are excellent with many small creases and indentations. However, the coat's hem is a solid mass, so there is no space underneath the fold. Two small pour channels will need to be removed from the front of the trousers and cleaned up.

Other than the four-color photo of the finished figure on the box art, there is no painting guide with call-outs for appropriate colors. I'm not particularly good at matching paints in a store, so I would have preferred that the kit include the mention of some standard paint brands.

conclusion

For a company that is also tackling Russian railroad track, ballast, etc., their venture into figures looks very promising. The pose is imaginative and potentially useful in a variety of settings, and the execution is up to the standards of today's resin makers.

Thanks to Armor 35 for providing this review sample. Be sure to mention you saw it reviewed here on Armorama when ordering (since that looks like the only way to purchase this figure).

SUMMARY

Highs: Splendid casting, superb detailing, an interesting pose.Lows: Head is molded-on, so no extra head is included. No paint color call-outs.Verdict: Recommended for a Winter or other cold weather diorama or as a stand-alone.